Moving picture coding/decoding method and apparatus for decoders of various processing capability

Abstract

PCT No. PCT/JP94/00485 Sec. 371 Date Feb. 8, 1995 Sec. 102(e) Date Feb. 8, 1995 PCT Filed Mar. 25, 1994 PCT Pub. No. WO94/22268 PCT Pub. Date Sep. 29, 1994A moving picture coding apparatus for coding a moving picture and a moving picture decoding apparatus for decoding a coded moving picture are provided. The moving picture coding apparatus is operative to divide a picture signal of a picture frame of N pixelsxM lines (horizontal N pixels, vertical M lines) to be coded between a first picture portion serving as the inside picture portion having picture frame of N1 pixelsxM1 lines (N1</=N, M1</=M) and a second picture portion serving as picture portion outside the first picture portion to divide the first and second picture portions in independent predetermined divisional units comprised of a plurality of pixels, and to add peculiar discrimination codes to headers of divisional units in transmitting coded information of predetermined divisional units belonging to the second picture portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A moving picture coding method using motion compensating prediction, comprising the steps of: dividing a picture signal of a picture frame of N pixels×M lines (horizontal N pixels, vertical M lines) to be coded using said motion compensating prediction between a first picture portion serving as an internal picture portion having a picture frame of N 1  pixels×M 1  lines (N 1  ≦N, M 1  ≦M) and a second picture portion serving as a picture portion outside the first picture portion, said first picture portion being at a fixed position from frame to frame with respect to said picture frame of N pixels×M lines;   wherein the first picture portion and the second picture portion are comprised of independent predetermined divisional units comprised of a plurality of pixels, said divisional units being grouped into blocks for coding;   coding said first and second picture portions, said first picture portion being coded by using motion compensating prediction only with reference to a reference picture of said first picture portion, thereby inhibiting any reference to said second picture portion; said second picture portion being coded using blocks of both intra- and inter-coding modes, both said first picture portion and said second picture portion including a block of the inter-coding mode; and   transmitting coded information of the predetermined divisional units belonging to the second picture portion with discrimination codes added to headers of the divisional units to discriminate between said first and second picture portions.   
     
     
       2. A moving picture coding method as set forth in claim 1, wherein motion compensating prediction implemented to the second picture portion of a picture to be currently coded does not place restrictions on the reference picture. 
     
     
       3. A moving picture decoding method for decoding a coded signal of a moving picture using motion compensating predication, wherein a picture signal of N pixels×M lines (horizontal N pixels, vertical M lines) is divided between a first picture portion serving as an internal picture portion having a picture frame of N 1  pixels×M 1  lines (N 1  ≦N, M 1  ≦M) and a second picture portion serving as a picture portion outside the first picture portion, said first picture portion being at a fixed position from frame to frame with respect to said picture frame of N pixels×M lines, wherein only the picture frame of N 1  pixels×M 1  lines is decoded, said method comprising the steps of:   reproducing only the first picture portion;   detecting discrimination codes included in headers of the first picture portion which indicate the second picture portion to thereby discriminate, thus to read in a skipped manner, coded information of the second picture portion; and   decoding said first and second picture portions, said first picture portion being decoded by using motion compensating prediction only with reference to a reference picture of said first picture portion, thereby inhibiting any reference to said second picture portion; said second picture portion being decoded using blocks of both intra- and inter-coding modes, both said first picture portion and said second picture portion including a block of the inter-coding mode.   
     
     
       4. A moving picture coding method as set forth in claim 1, wherein when size of unit block for carrying out motion compensating prediction is N 2  pixels×M 2  lines, N 1  is multiple of N 2  and M 1  is multiple of M 2 . 
     
     
       5. A moving picture decoding method as set forth in claim 3, wherein when size of unit block for carrying out motion compensation is N 2  pixels×M 2  lines, N 1  is multiple of N 2  and M 1  is multiple of M 2 . 
     
     
       6. A moving picture coding method as set forth in claim 1, wherein N 1  and M 1  are both multiple of 16. 
     
     
       7. A moving picture decoding method as set forth in claim 3, wherein N 1  and M 1  are both multiple of 16. 
     
     
       8. A moving picture coding method as set forth in claim 1, wherein a frame picture signal to be transmitted is a picture signal having 483 lines or more required for the television broadcasting of the NTSC system, and M 1  lines of the first picture portion are 480 lines. 
     
     
       9. A moving picture decoding method for decoding a coded signal of a moving picture using motion compensating prediction, wherein a frame picture signal having 483 lines or more for NTSC television broadcasting is divided between a first picture portion of 480 lines and a second picture portion serving as a picture portion of the highest portion or the lowest portion of a portion except for the first picture portion, said first picture portion being at a fixed position from frame to frame with respect to said picture frame having not less than 483 lines wherein only a picture frame of 480 lines is decoded, said method comprising the steps of:   reproducing only the first picture portion to detect any one of particular discrimination codes in headers of the first picture portion which indicate the second picture portion to thereby discriminate, thus to read in a skipped manner, coded information of the second picture portion; and   decoding said first and second picture portions, said first picture portion being decoded by using motion compensating prediction only with reference to a reference picture of said first picture portion, thereby inhibiting any reference to said second picture portion; said second picture portion being decoded using blocks of both intra- and inter-coding modes, both said first picture portion and said second picture portion including a block of the inter-coding mode.